1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an analog information display device and an analog electronic timepiece.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional display device is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-66963. This device can display various information items by means of combination of signs provided on a dial plate and rotatable hands.
Display of multiple information items on a display device is achieved by selectively displaying signs and marks provided on the dial plate in association with the respective information items, or by providing hands corresponding to the respective information items.
Unfortunately, a larger number of information items to be displayed cause an increase in the number of marks to be indicated on the dial plate, resulting in increased design constraints and difficulty for the user in identifying which mark is indicated.
To address this, another conventional technique has been used that provides a rotatable information display plate (rotary disk) under the dial plate and selectively exposes any one of the signs on the rotary disk through an aperture provided in the dial plate. This technique can allow unnecessary information to remain hidden.
Nevertheless, when a single rotary disk is rotated with a step motor to display multiple information items selectively, it takes time to display a particular information item owing to limitations of rotation speed.